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At a time of tremendous change in the Arab world, the state of regional media has been the subject of much high-profile coverage worldwide. Embroiled in both conflict and transformation, the region is seen by many as approaching a crucial turning point. The role of media in facilitating this transformation on the domestic, regional and global levels was the topic of many discussions at this year's Arab-US Association for Communication Educators (AUSACE) convention held in Kuwait from November 17 to 20, 2005. Under the title of "Media Reform and New Media," scholars from over 30 universities and colleges throughout the US and the Arab world presented their research and commentary about the new Arab media landscape and its future in bilingual Arabic and English sessions. From discussions about Al-Jazeera's role as a regional and global transnational broadcaster to the educational role of the Kuwaiti print press, most papers a metamorphosis in the regional media climate. Researchers presented compelling studies and theoretical conceptions of media's cultural, technological, and societal dimensions, some of which focused on the chiasm between US and Arab media environments, from the classroom to the newsroom.

For the past 10 years, AUSACE has provided academics exploring the junctions between US and Arab media and research in that domain an opportunity to exchange their knowledge, expertise, and experience. Held previously in Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia, the Kuwait conference is the 10th instalment of the annual event. Media scholars, professionals and practitioners from the United States and various Arab nations converged for the meeting of the organization which was hosted by Kuwait University's Department of Mass Communications, under the auspices of the Minister of Information HE Anas Al-Rasheed (PhD, Southern Illinois University). The conference convened in Kuwait City's splendid Marriott Courtyard Hotel under the direction of Prof. Yousef Al Failakawi (Kuwait University). In addition to a finely organized roster of panels sessions, Prof. Failakawi and his staff from Kuwait University hosted a splendid dinner atop the majestic Kuwait Towers for attendees. The schedule also included excursions to several traditional and modern city markets as well as a trip to a museum commemorating the tragic Iraqi invasion of the small Gulf emirate in 1990.

In 1995, the United States Information Agency awarded a Citizen's Exchange Grant to Georgia State University for the purpose of hosting 12 Arab communication educators from Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria for a six week professional development program. The program provided an extensive opportunity for Arab and American educators to learn about each other's academic programs, professional media, governments and culture. In the second year of the program, American professors visited the participants' home institutions, traveling to seven countries, gaining firsthand knowledge about their curriculum and their professional media. In an effort to continue the invaluable exchanges, the participants voted to establish a permanent association dedicated to advancing professional relationships among Arab and American communication educators. It was at this point that the Arab-U.S. Association for Communication Educators (AUSACE) came into being. Responsible for developing professional relationships and educational exchanges between and among Arab and American university faculty and media professionals, the organization supported collaborative research projects, faculty and student exchanges, and international forums including the annual conference, curriculum development and the transfer of technological innovation are shared. Previous

Conference attendees listen to presenters during the bilingual sessions

This year's instalment of the conference featured some interesting seminars and presentations offering attendees compelling information about the contemporary state of the Arab media and future trends. Award-winning papers included American University professor Marwan Kraidy on "The Politics of Reality Television in the Arab world," Mohammed El-Nawawy at Georgia State University with his paper entitled "US public diplomacy in the Arab world: A news Credibility study of students' perceptions of Radio Sawa and Al-Hurra Television," the American University in Cairo's Ibrahim Saleh with "Popular Diplomacy in Egypt: A path towards structural development, political emancipation, and social integration." The papers were acknowledged in brief ceremony following the conference's proceedings with the awards presented by AUSACE president Prof. Mahmoud Tarabay of the Lebanese American University and conference organizer Dr. Yousef Al Failakawi.

The conference also witnessed the launch of a new journal dedicated to Middle Eastern media studies. Currently housed at Georgia State University, the Journal of Middle East Media is one of the first bilingual academic journals focussing on the press and media in the region.

Notable presentations also included Prof. Sahar Khamis of Qatar University, whose study entitled "Bridges and Barriers: The Challenges Facing the New Media in the Arab World in constructing an effective dialogue with the other was recently published in the latest edition of the Global Media Journal (Arabic Edition) and AUC Prof. Hussein Amin's timely analysis of the role the media played in the Egyptian presidential elections. The closing plenary featured a lively discussion involving David Applefield of the Financial Times who outlined some of the differing standards of journalistic ethics in the western tradition versus the Arab world. His analysis of editorial choices by Kuwaiti print publications was highly engaging. Whereas, Philip Seib of Marquette University offered a holistic assessment of the role new media play in the Middle East's trajectory towards democratization. My presentation offered a theoretical critique and reconceptualization of the definitions of "alternative" and "independent media," their misapplication to Al-Jazeera, and their prospects in the Arab media terrain. Among the prominent attendees at the conference was Prof. Douglas A. Boyd from University of Kentucky and Vice President of AUSACE, the author of some of the earliest seminal works on broadcasting in the Arab world.

HE Dr. Anas Al-Rasheed, Kuwaiti Minister of Information

Prof. Douglas Boyd, University of Kentucky, VP of AUSACE

Prof. Hussein Amin, American University in Cairo

Prof. Marwan Kraidy was the recipient of the top paper award at the conference

Special plenary sessions and workshops were dedicated to discussions of journalistic standards and media ethics for students and practitioners. In addition to the participation in the conference of several journalists from Kuwait's press and media, the proceeding and discussions were covered extensively by Kuwait's five major Arabic newspapers and three English-language publications. Much of the coverage focused on the meetings between AUSACE delegates and Kuwaiti officials.

Overall, the Kuwait meeting provided a venue for discourse and deliberation about media reform in the Arab world and the prospects of new media and innovation in the region. For these discussions to remain relevant, they must be explored extensively in future AUSACE gatherings starting with Morocco 2006.